System, method and software for reducing printer colorant usage

ABSTRACT

A system, method, and printer controller software for reducing printer colorant usage by using printer controller software which controls the deposition by the printer of the printer colorant on the printable medium in response to selected print image quality and printer colorant reduction criteria, as well as identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics of the printable medium, identifying characteristics of the printer, and identifying characteristics of the printer colorant.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention broadly relates to a printer controller for asystem comprising a printer, computer and display device for controllingdeposition by the printer of printer colorant on a printable mediumhaving identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics data tothereby reduce printer colorant usage. The present invention alsobroadly relates to a method for reducing printer colorant usage byselecting print image quality and printer colorant reduction criteria,determining identifying characteristics of the printer, printercolorant, and printable medium, and controlling deposition by theprinter of the printer colorant on the printable medium in response tothese criteria and characteristics. The present invention furtherbroadly relates to a machine readable medium having associated therewithprinter controller software which is loadable on a computer forcontrolling the deposition of the printer colorant on the printablemedium to thereby reduce printer colorant usage in response to thesecriteria and characteristics.

BACKGROUND

In recent years, digital cameras and personal computers have becomewidespread. Data generated by the digital cameras or the personalcomputers may be printed by ink jet printers or laser printers. Theseprinters adhere ink or toner onto a printable medium, such as paper. Theink or toner may be stored, for example, in a cartridge. The cartridgemay then be replaced when the ink or the toner is consumed.

In the case of significant ink or toner consumption, as the frequency ofreplacement of the cartridge is increased, the cost for purchasing thecartridge becomes higher. In fact, a significant cost associated withowning a printer is that of replacing used printer cartridges. While theprice of printers is currently decreasing, the price of printercartridges generally does not. Thus a user may be persuaded to buy aprinter because it is less expensive, but is then committed to frequentpurchases of more expensive printer cartridges.

One way to reduce the costs associated with buying replacement printercartridges is to use less ink/toner so that each printer cartridge lastslonger, and needs to be replaced less frequently. The software printdrivers which are provided with printers and installed on thecontrolling computer may offer a user the option of printing in, forexample, “draft,” “economy,” or “high quality” mode, where “draft” and“economy” modes use less ink/toner than “high quality” mode. However,“draft” mode may provide such poor print quality that documents printedusing this mode may not be usable for anything except for quick checksof content and proofing. “Economy” mode may yield better image outputthan “draft” mode, but may not provide the quality required for mostdocuments intended for distribution to the intended audience. In fact,use of “draft” or “economy” modes may lead to even greater usage ofink/toner as the same document is printed several times, for example,once in a lower quality mode and then again in a higher quality mode.

There have been proposed methods for calibrating the image data to beprinted to reduce ink or toner consumption without deteriorating thequality of the image printed. For example, according to a methoddisclosed in U.S. Pat. Appln. No. 2005/0063749 (Harris et al.),published Mar. 24, 2005, image data may be calibrated according to anink reduction amount set by a user and then transmitted to a printerdriver, thereby reducing ink consumption by the printer. However, evenwith the same ink reduction amount, the degree with which quality of theprinted image may deteriorate as a result of such calibration may varydepending on the type of image to be printed based on the image data(e.g., photographs taken by digital cameras or documents) or the type ofpaper being printed on (e.g., glossy paper or plain paper). For example,when a larger ink reduction amount is set for image data forphotographic images, the resultant image quality may deteriorate morethan expected. This may necessitate a user to reprint the same image ata lower ink reduction level, thus causing larger ink consumption.Conversely, when a smaller ink reduction level is set to improve theimage quality for a document, ink consumption may not be reducedeffectively.

SUMMARY

According to a first broad aspect of the present invention, there isprovided in a system comprising a printer having identifying printercharacteristics data, a source of printer colorant associated with theprinter and having identifying printer colorant characteristics data, acomputer in electronic communication with the printer and which receivesthe identifying printer characteristics data and the identifying printercolorant characteristics data, a display device in electroniccommunication with the computer which displays a printer menu whichcomprises at least: (a) print image quality criteria to be selected; and(b) printer colorant reduction criteria to be selected, a printercontroller associated with the computer, wherein the printer controllercontrols deposition by the printer of the printer colorant from theprinter colorant source on a printable medium having identifying printercolorant deposition characteristics data to thereby reduce printercolorant usage in response to:

-   -   (1) the identifying printer characteristics data received by the        computer;    -   (2) the identifying printer colorant characteristics data        received by the computer;    -   (3) the print image quality criteria selected;    -   (4) the printer colorant reduction criteria selected; and    -   (5) the identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics        data.

According to a second broad aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method for use with a system which comprises a printer, asource of printer colorant associated with the printer, a computer inelectronic communication with the printer, and a display device inelectronic communication with the computer which displays a printer menuwhich comprises at least: (a) print image quality criteria to beselected; and (b) printer colorant reduction criteria to be selected,the method comprising the following steps:

-   -   (1) selecting print image quality criteria and printer colorant        reduction criteria from the printer menu;    -   (2) determining the identifying printer characteristics of the        printer, the identifying printer colorant characteristics, and        the identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics of a        printable medium on which the printer colorant is to be        deposited; and    -   (3) controlling deposition by the printer of the printer        colorant from the printer colorant source on the printable        medium to thereby reduce printer colorant usage in response        to: (a) the printer image quality and printer colorant reduction        criteria selected; and (b) the identifying printer        characteristics, the identifying printer colorant        characteristics, and the identifying printer colorant deposition        characteristics determined.

According to a third broad aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a product comprising a machine readable medium havingassociated therewith printer controller software which is loadable on acomputer for controlling a printer having identifying printercharacteristics data and which is associated with a source of printercolorant and having identifying printer colorant characteristics data,the computer also being in electronic communication with a displaydevice which displays a printer menu which comprises at least: (a) printimage quality criteria to be selected; and (b) printer colorantreduction criteria to be selected, wherein the printer controllersoftware controls deposition by the printer of the printer colorant fromthe printer colorant source on a printable medium having identifyingprinter colorant deposition characteristics data to thereby reduceprinter colorant usage in response to:

-   -   (1) the identifying printer characteristics data;    -   (2) the identifying printer colorant characteristics data;    -   (3) the print image quality criteria selected;    -   (4) the printer colorant reduction criteria selected; and    -   (5) the identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics        data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram which shows an illustrative systemaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart which shows an illustrative method according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a screen capture of an illustrative printer menu dialog boxprovided by printer controller software according to one embodiment ofthe present invention

FIG. 4 is a screen capture of an illustrative ink setting tab from thedialog box of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a screen capture of an illustrative ink savings estimator tabfrom the dialog box of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is advantageous to define several terms before describing theinvention. It should be appreciated that the following definitions areused throughout this application.

DEFINITIONS

Where the definition of terms departs from the commonly used meaning ofthe term, applicant intends to utilize the definitions provided below,unless specifically indicated.

For the purposes of the present invention, directional terms such as“top”, “bottom”, “side,” “front,” “frontal,” “forward,” “rear,”“rearward,” “back,” “trailing,” “above”, “below”, “left”, “right”,“horizontal”, “vertical”, “upward”, “downward”, etc. are merely used forconvenience in describing the various embodiments of the presentinvention. The embodiments of the present invention may be oriented invarious ways. For example, the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 5may be flipped over, rotated by 90° in any direction, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “printable medium”refers to any material which may be printed on with a printer colorant.Printable mediums may include sheets, webs, strips, films, panes, pages,pieces, etc., which may be continuous in form (e.g., webs) forsubsequent subdividing into discrete units, or which may be in the formof discrete units (e.g., a sheet), and which may comprise variousmaterials or combinations of materials, including, for example, plastics(polymers), paper webs, non-wovens, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “paper web” refersto a fibrous web that may be formed, created, produced, etc., from amixture, furnish, etc., from paper fibers, plus any other optionalpapermaking additives such as, for example, fillers, wet-strengthagents, optical brightening agents (or fluorescent whitening agent),etc. Paper webs may include an uncoated paper web, coated paper web,etc. The paper web may be in the form of a continuous roll, a discretesheet, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “low density coatedpaper web” refers to a paper web which has 0 or a minimal (e.g., belowabout 8 gsm, for example below about 6 gsm) paper surface loading of acoating composition present on one or more sides or surfaces of a paperweb. In one embodiment of a low density coated paper web, a coating maybe present in an amount from about 0.5 to about 4 gsm (e.g., from about0.75 to about 3 gsm, more typically from about 1 to about 3 gsm) on oneor both sides or surfaces of a paper web.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “uncoated paper web”refers to a paper web which has 0 or substantially 0 paper surfaceloading of a coating composition present on one or both sides orsurfaces of the paper web.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “single-side coatedpaper web” refers to a paper web which has a surface loading of acoating composition present on one, but not both, sides or surfaces ofthe paper web.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “double-side coatedpaper web” refers to a paper web which has a surface loading of acoating composition present on both sides or surfaces of the paper web.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “calendered paper”refers to a paper web which has been subjected to calendering to, forexample, smooth out the paper for enabling printing and writing on thepaper, and to increase the gloss on the paper surface. For example,calendering may involve a process of using pressure for embossing asmooth surface on the still rough paper surface. Calendering of papermay be carried out on a calendar which may comprise a series of rolls atthe end of a papermaking machine (on-line), or separate from thepapermaking machine (off-line).

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “paper filler”refers commonly to mineral products (e.g., calcium carbonate, kaolinclay, etc.) which may be used in paper making to reduce materials costper unit mass of the paper, increase opacity, increase smoothness, etc.These mineral products may be finely divided, for example, the sizerange of from about 0.5 to about 5 microns.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “substrate coatingcomposition” refers to those compositions for coating substrates (e.g.,paper webs) of a printable medium which may comprise, for example: asubstrate pigment component; a metal salt drying agent; a cationic dyefixing agent; and a substrate pigment binder. These substrate coatingcompositions may also include other optional additives, such as, forexample, plastic pigments, optical brightening agents, fluorescentwhitening agents, solvents, diluents, anti-scratch and mar resistanceagents, etc. These substrate coating compositions may be formulated asan aqueous slurry, a colloidal suspension, a liquid mixture, athixotropic mixture, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “solids basis”refers to the weight percentage of each of the respective solidmaterials (e.g., pigment component; a metal salt drying agent; acationic dye fixing agent; a pigment binder; plastic pigment, opticalbrightening agent, etc.) present in the coating composition, coating,etc., in the absence of any liquids (e.g., water). Unless otherwisespecified, all percentages given herein for the solid materials are on asolids basis.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “solids content”refers to the percentage of non-volatile, non-liquid components (byweight) that are present in the composition, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “substrate pigment”refers to a material (e.g., a finely divided particulate matter) whichmay be used or may be intended to be used to affect optical propertiesof the substrate (e.g., paper web) of a printable medium (e.g., paper)and which becomes part of the printable medium prior to use (e.g.,printing).

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “calcium carbonate”refers to various calcium carbonates which may be used as substratepigments, such as precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), ground calciumcarbonate (GCC), modified PCC and/or GCC, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “precipitatedcalcium carbonate (PCC)” refers to a calcium carbonate which may bemanufactured by a precipitation reaction and which may used as asubstrate pigment. PCC may comprise almost entirely of the calcitecrystal form of CaCO₃. The calcite crystal may have several differentmacroscopic shapes depending on the conditions of production.Precipitated calcium carbonates may be prepared by the carbonation, withcarbon dioxide (CO₂) gas, of an aqueous slurry of calcium hydroxide(“milk of lime”). The starting material for obtaining PCC may compriselimestone, but may also be calcined (i.e., heated to drive off CO₂),thus producing burnt lime, CaO. Water may added to “slake” the lime,with the resulting “milk of lime,” a suspension of Ca(OH)₂, being thenexposed to bubbles of CO₂ gas. Cool temperatures during addition of theCO₂ tend to produce rhombohedral (blocky) PCC particles. Warmertemperatures during addition of the CO₂ tend to produce scalenohedral(rosette-shaped) PCC particles. In either case, the end the reactionoccurs at an optimum pH where the milk of lime has been effectivelyconverted to CaCO₃, and before the concentration of CO₂ becomes highenough to acidify the suspension and cause some of it to redissolve. Incases where the PCC is not continuously agitated or stored for manydays, it may be necessary to add more than a trace of such anionicdispersants as polyphosphates. Wet PCC may have a weak cationiccolloidal charge. By contrast, dried PCC may be similar to most groundCaCO₃ products in having a negative charge, depending on whetherdispersants have been used. The calcium carbonate may be precipitatedfrom an aqueous solution in three different crystal forms: the vateriteform which is thermodynamically unstable, the calcite form which is themost stable and the most abundant in nature, and the aragonite formwhich is metastable under normal ambient conditions of temperature andpressure, but which may convert to calcite at elevated temperatures. Thearagonite form has an orthorhombic shape that crystallizes as long, thinneedles that may be either aggregated or unaggregated. The calcite formmay exist in several different shapes of which the most commonly foundare the rhombohedral shape having crystals that may be either aggregatedor unaggregated and the scalenohedral shape having crystals that aregenerally unaggregated.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “substrate pigmentbinder” refers to a binder agent for substrates (e.g., paper webs) ofprintable mediums which may be used to improve the substrate pigmentbinding strength of substrate coating composition, coating, etc.Substrate pigment binders may be hydrophilic. Suitable substrate pigmentbinders may include synthetic or naturally occurring polymers (or acombination of different polymers), for example, a polyvinyl alcohol(PVOH), starch binders, proteinaceous adhesives such as, for example,casein or soy proteins, etc.; polymer latexes such as styrene butadienerubber latexes, acrylic polymer latexes, polyvinyl acetate latexes,styrene acrylic copolymer latexes, etc., or a combination thereof. Thesubstrate pigment binder may also be substantially free of starchbinders and/or latexes as binders to improve the dry time of the coatedsubstrate of the printable medium and to improve the processability ofthe substrate of the printable medium during the coating process.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “substantially free”refers to a composition, coating, etc., having less than about 0.1% of aparticular component by weight of the composition, coating, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “starch binder”refers to a binder agent for substrate pigments and/or printable mediums(e.g., paper) which comprises starch, a starch derivative, etc., or acombination thereof. Suitable starch binders may be derived from anatural starch, e.g., natural starch obtained from a known plant source,for example, wheat, maize, potato, tapioca, etc. The starch binder maybe modified (i.e., a modified starch) by one or more chemical treatmentsknown in the paper starch binder art, for example, by oxidation toconvert some of —CH.₂OH groups to —COOH groups, etc. In some cases thestarch binder may have a small proportion of acetyl groups.Alternatively, the starch binder may be chemically treated to render itcationic (i.e., a cationic starch) or amphoteric (i.e., an amphotericstarch), i.e., with both cationic and anionic charges. The starch bindermay also be a starch converted to a starch ether, or a hydroxyalkylatedstarch by replacing some —OH groups with, for example, —OCH₂CH₂OHgroups, —OCH2CH₃ groups, —OCH₂CH₂CH₂OH groups, etc. A further class ofchemically treated starch binders which may be used are known as thestarch phosphates. Alternatively, raw starch may be hydrolyzed by meansof a dilute acid, an enzyme, etc., to produce a starch binder in theform of a gum of the dextrin type.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “metal salt dryingagent” refers to those metal salts which may improve the dry time ofinks printed on printable mediums by, for example, ink jet printingprocesses. These metal salt drying agents may include but are notlimited to salts containing calcium or magnesium (e.g., divalentwater-soluble metals salts). The counter ions may include chloride,sulfate, nitrate, hydroxide, silicate, etc. Illustrative metal saltdrying agents may include metal salts such as sodium chloride, calciumchloride, calcium nitrate, magnesium chloride, magnesium nitrate,aluminum chloride, sodium sulfate, aluminum chloride, aluminum nitrate,aluminum sulfate, potassium chloride, sodium aluminum sulfate, vanadiumchloride, magnesium sulfate, sodium silicates, etc., or combinationsthereof.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “cationic dye fixingagent” refers to those cationic compounds (e.g., nitrogen-containingcompounds) or mixtures of such compounds which may aid in fixing,trapping, etc., inks printed by ink jet printing processes, and whichmay provide other properties, including water fastness. These cationicdye fixing agents may include compounds, oligomers and polymers whichcontain one or more quaternary ammonium functional groups, and mayinclude cationic water-soluble polymers that are capable of forming acomplex with anionic dyes. Such functional groups may vary widely andmay include substituted and unsubstituted amines, imines, amides,urethanes, quaternary ammonium groups, dicyandiamides and the like.Illustrative of such compounds are polyamines, polyethyleneimines,polymers or copolymers of diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DADMAC),copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone (VP) with quaternizeddiethylaminoethylmethacrylate (DEAMEMA), polyamides, cationicpolyurethane latexes, cationic polyvinyl alcohols, polyalkylaminesdicyandiamid copolymers, amine glycidyl addition polymers,poly[oxyethylene (dimethyliminio) ethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene]dichlorides, etc., or combinations thereof.These cationic dye fixing agents may include low to medium molecularweight cationic polymers and oligomers having a molecular equal to orless than 100,000, for example, equal to or less than about 50,000,e.g., from about 10,000 to about 50,000. Illustrative of such materialsare polyalkylamine dicyandiamide copolymers,poly[oxyethylene(dimethyliminioethylene(dimethyliminioethylene]dichlorides and polyamines havingmolecular weights within the desired range. Cationic dye fixing agentssuitable herein may include low molecular weight cationic polymers suchas polyalkylamine dicyandiamid copolymer, poly[oxyethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene(dimethyliminio)ethylene]dichloride, forexample, low molecular weight polyalkylamine dicyandiamid copolymers.See U.S. Pat. No. 6,764,726 (Yang et al.), issued Jul. 20, 2004, theentire disclosure and contents of which is hereby incorporated byreference.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “brightness” refersto the diffuse reflectivity of paper, for example, at a mean wavelengthof light of 457 nm. As used herein, brightness of the paper web may bemeasured by, for example, in terms of GE Brightness or ISO Brightness.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “opacity” refers tothe ability of a paper to hide things such as print images on subsequentsheets or printed on the back, e.g., to minimize, prevent, etc.,show-through, etc. As used herein, opacity of the paper web may bemeasured by, for example, in terms of TAPPI opacity and show-through.TAPPI opacity may be measured by T425 om-91.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “show-through”refers to the degree to which printing on one side of a paper sheet maybe seen through the other side of the same sheet. Show-through maycorrelate to opacity of the paper, the degree of ink penetration intothe paper, etc. Values for show-through may be determined by theShow-Through Test Methodology, which is attached hereto as an appendixand which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “paper smoothness”refers to the extent to which the paper surface deviates from a planaror substantially planar surface, as affected by the depth of the paper,paper width, numbers of departure from that planar surface, etc. As usedherein, the paper smoothness of a paper web may be measured by, forexample, in terms of Parker Print Smoothness. Parker Print Smoothnessmay be measured by TAPPI test method T 555 om-99.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “print quality”refers to those factors, features, characteristics, etc., that mayinfluence, affect, control, etc., the appearance, look, form, etc., of aprinted image on the printable medium. As used herein, print quality of,for example, a paper web may be measured by, for example, in terms ofone or more of: (1) print density/contrast (e.g., forBW/color/monochrome); (2) color gamut or color richness (e.g., fordigital printing such as ink jet printing, laser printing, etc.); (3)dry times); (4) print gloss or print mottle; (5) etc. For example, blackoptical print density may be measured by TAPPI method 1213 sp-03. Printmottle may be measured based on 2nd cyan values according to the methoddisclosed in U.S. Published Application No. 20060060317 (Roding, etal.), published Mar. 23, 2006, which is herein incorporated by referencein its entirety.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “gloss” refers tothe ability of a printable medium, such as paper, to reflect someportion of the incident light at the mirror angle. Gloss may be based ona measurement of the quantity of light specularly reflected from thesurface of a paper specimen at a set angle, for example, at 75 degrees,such as in the case of 75 degree gloss (and as measured by TAPPI testmethod T 480 om-92).

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “print gloss” refersto a gloss measurement made on a printed substrate such as paper.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “digital printing”refers to reproducing, forming, creating, providing, etc., digitalimages on a printable medium, for example, paper, Digital printing mayinclude laser printing, ink jet printing, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “laser printing”refers to a digital printing technology, method, device, etc., that mayuse a laser beam to create, form produce, etc., a latent image on, forexample, a photoconductor drum. The light of laser beam may later createcharge on the drum which may then pick up toner which carries anopposite charge. This toner may then be transferred to the paper and theresulting print image created, formed, produced, etc., fused to theprintable medium through, for example, a fuser.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “electrophotographicrecording process” refers to a process which records images on aprintable medium, such as paper, by xerography or electrophotography. Inan electrophotographic process, the image is often formed by tonerparticles which are deposited one surface or side of the printablemedium, and are then thermally fixed and/or fused to that one surface orside of the printable medium, for example, by heating. Inelectrophotographic recording, the printable medium may have tworelatively smooth or flat sides or surfaces, or may have one side orsurface which is textured, uneven or nonsmooth/nonflat, while the otherside or surface is relatively smooth or flat.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “ink jet printing”refers to a digital printing technology, method, device, etc., that mayform images on a printable medium, such as paper, by spraying, jetting,etc., tiny droplets of liquid inks onto the printable medium through theprinter nozzles. The size (e.g., smaller size), precise placement, etc.,of the ink droplets may be provide higher quality ink jet prints. Inkjet printing may include continuous ink jet printing, drop-on-demand inkjet printing, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “print density”refers to the optical density which is a measure of the light absorbingproperty of a print image. It may be expressed as the logarithm of thereciprocal to the base 10 of the reflectance from the print image beingmeasured. For example, the higher the print density, the darker theprint image may appear. Higher print densities provide a highercontrast, a sharper image for viewing, etc. An X-Rite 418 reflectionDensitometer may be used to measure black optical density.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “print contrast”refers to the difference in print density between printed and unprintedareas.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “color gamut” refersto the total collection of possible colors in any color reproductionsystem and may be defined by a complete subset colors. A higher colorgamut value indicates a more vivid color print quality. Color gamut maybe obtained by measuring the CIE L*, a*, b* of a series of color blocks,including white (unprinted area), cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green,blue and black. The CIE L* represents the whiteness. The value of L* mayrange from zero (representing black) to 100 (representing white or aperfectly reflecting diffuser). The value of a* represents the degree ofgreen/red. A positive a* is red, while a negative a* is green. Apositive b* is yellow, while a negative b* is blue. The CIE L*, a* andb* values may be measured by X-Rite 528 using a D65 light source and a10-degree viewing angle.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “color richness”refers to a more vivid or vibrant color print with high print densityand high color gamut values.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “print mottle”refers to non-uniformity in the print image which may be due tounevenness in ink lay, non-uniform ink absorption, etc., across theprintable medium surface. Print mottle may be measured using a scannerbased mottle tester such as the C3PATX03 Formation and Mottle Test withan Agfa Model DUOSCAN scanner. The printable medium (e.g., paper) sampleto be tested is first printed on a test ink jet printer. The testpattern must include a block of solid black (100%) image. The colorblock is a square of about 20-50 mm by 20-50 mm. After 20 minutes ofwaiting time, or when the printed image is fully dried, the printedsample is positioned on the scanner with printed face down. The scanneris set at a resolution of 500 ppi (pixel per inch). A Verity software(Verity IA LLC, 2114 Sunrise Drive, Appleton, Wis. 54914) may be used toanalyze the test data from the scanner. An appropriate dimension fortesting based on the color block dimension is set. Two mottle indicesmay be measured: Micro Mottle Index and Macro Mottle Index. The MicroMottle Index measures density variations within an area of 0.1 in²;while the macro mottle index measures the density variations of theaveraged density values of each square of 0.1 in². The lower the mottleindex value, the better the print quality.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “color-to-colorbleed” refers to the spreading of one color ink into another color inkon paper which may reduce the resolution of the colored text and lineson a colored background. For example blue and black bars may be printedover a yellow color background. Green and black bars may be printed overmagenta color background, and red and black bars may be printed overcyan color background. The smallest distance in microns between twocolor bars without bridging (or color intruding more than half way tothe neighboring color bar) is recorded as the color-to-color bleedindex. In other words, the smaller the value of color-to-color bleed,the better the print quality. Distances which may be tested include 50microns, 100 microns, 150 microns, 300 microns, etc. In some embodimentsof the present invention, the tested distance may reach 150 microns orless before bridging (bleed) occurs, which may be considered a “good”color-to-color bleed property.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “ink transfer”refers to a test for determining the image dry time of a printablemedium, for example, printable paper sheets. “Ink transfer” is definedherein as the amount of optical density transferred after rolling with aroller, and is expressed as a percentage of the optical densitytransferred to the unprinted portion of the printable medium (e.g.,paper sheet) after rolling with a roller. The method involves printingsolid colored blocks on paper, waiting for a fixed amount of time, 5seconds after printing, and then folding in half so that the printedportion contacts an unprinted portion of the paper sheet, and rollingwith a 4.5 lb hand roller as for example roller item number HR-100 fromChem Instruments, Inc., Mentor, Ohio, USA. The optical density is readon the transferred (OD_(T)), the non-transferred (OD_(O)) portions ofthe block, and an un-imaged area (OD_(B)) by a reflectance densitometer(X-Rite, Macbeth, etc.). The percent transferred (“IT %”) is defined asIT %=[(OD_(T)−OD_(B))/(OD_(O)−OD_(B))]×100.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “liquid” refers to anon-gaseous fluid composition, compound, material, etc., which may bereadily flowable at the temperature of use (e.g., room temperature) withlittle or no tendency to disperse and with a relatively highcompressibility.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “viscosity,” withreference to coating compositions, refers to Brookfield viscosity. TheBrookfield viscosity may be measured by a Brookfield viscometer at 150°F., using a #5 spindle at 100 rpm.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “substrate surfaceloading” refers to amount of coating present on a given side or surfaceof the substrate being treated. Substrate surface loading may be definedin terms of grams of substrate coating composition per square meter ofpaper web (hereinafter referred to as “gsm”).

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “room temperature”refers to the commonly accepted meaning of room temperature, i.e., anambient temperature of 20° to 25° C.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “coating” refers toone or more layers, coverings, films, skins, etc., formed, created,prepared, etc., from a substrate coating composition which remainspredominantly on the surface(s) of the substrate of a printable medium(e.g., paper).

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “remainspredominantly on the surface(s) of the printable medium” refers to thesubstrate coating composition or coating remaining primarily on thesurface of the substrate of a printable medium (e.g., paper), and notbeing absorbed by or into the interior of the web.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “treating” withreference to the substrate coating composition may include depositing,applying, spraying, coating, daubing, spreading, wiping, dabbing,dipping, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “Hercules SizingTest” or “HST” refers to a test of resistance to penetration of, forexample, an acidic water solution through paper. The HST may be measuredusing the procedure of TAPPI Standard Method 530 pm-89. See U.S. Pat.No. 6,764,726 (Yang et al.), issued Jul. 20, 2004, the entire disclosureand contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The HST valueis measured following the conventions described in TAPPI Standard Methodnumber T-530 pm-89, using 1% formic acid ink and 80% reflectanceendpoint.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “printer” refers toany device which prints an image on a printable medium, such as paper,including laser printers, ink jet printers, electrophotographicrecording devices (e.g., copiers), thermal printers, impact printers(e.g., dot-matrix printers), wide format printers, commercial webprinters (e.g., web-pressed printers), scanners, fax machines, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “identifying printercharacteristics” refers to those characteristics of the printer whichidentify, for example, one or more of its type, model, make, printingcharacteristics, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “source of printercolorant” may refers to reservoir, container, bottle, cartridge, etc.,holding the printer colorant and from which the printer colorant may bedispensed, dispersed, sprayed, printed, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “printer cartridge”refers to a replaceable component of a printer which contains printercolorant. Printer cartridges may contain one or more printer colorantreservoirs, electronic contacts and electronic chips for communicatingwith the printer, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “printer colorant”may refer to either ink (as used by, for example, an ink jet printer,etc.) and toner (as used by, for example, a laser printer,electrographic recording device, etc.). Printer colorants may be black,white, magenta, cyan, yellow, green, red, brown, blue, orange,purple/lavender/violet, gray, etc., or any combination thereof. Aprinter which uses, dispenses, deposits, prints, etc., only a blackcolorant is often referred to as being a “black” or “black and white”printer, while a printer which uses, dispenses, deposits, prints, etc.,more than one color (e.g., black, magenta, cyan, yellow, etc.) is oftenreferred to as a “color printer.”

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “ink” refers toprinter colorant as used by ink jet printers. Thus the term “inkcartridge” as used herein refers to a replacement ink cartridge for anink jet printer. The term ink may include dye-based inks and/orpigment-based inks. Dye-based inks comprise a dye which may be anorganic molecule which is soluble in the ink medium. Dye-based inks maybe classified by their usage, such as acid dyes, basic dyes, or directdyes, or by their chemical structure, such as azo dyes, which are basedon the based on an —N═N— azo structure; diazonium dyes, based ondiazonium salts; quinone-imine dyes, which are derivates of quinine,etc. Pigment-based dyes comprise a pigment, which is a solid coloredparticle suspended in the ink medium. The particle may comprise acolored mineral, a precipitated dye, a precipitated dye which isattached to a carrier particle, etc. Inks are often dispensed,deposited, sprayed, etc., on a printable medium in the form of dropletswhich then dry on the printable medium to form the print image(s).

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “printed dot” refersto an ink droplet which is printed onto a printable substrate by, forexample, an ink jet printer, dot-matrix (impact) printer, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “toner” refers toprinter colorant as used by laser printers. Thus the term “tonercartridge” as used herein refers a replacement toner cartridge for alaser printer. Toner is often dispensed, deposited, etc., on theprintable medium in the form of particles, with the particles then beingfused on the printable medium to form the image.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “identifying printercolorant characteristics” refers to those characteristics of a printercolorant which identify, for example, one or more its color, type (e.g.,ink or toner), type of ink (e.g., dye-based or pigment-based),consistency (e.g., viscosity, fluidity, etc.), how it is deposited(e.g., type of printer), etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “computer” refers toany type of computer system that implements software including anindividual computer such as a personal computer, mainframe computer,mini-computer, etc. In addition, computer system refers to any type ofnetwork of computers, such as a network of computers in a business, theInternet, personal data assistant (PDA), devices such as a cell phone, atelevision, a videogame console, a compressed audio or video player suchas an MP3 player, a DVD player, a microwave oven, etc. A personalcomputer is one type of computer system that may include the followingcomponents: a case or chassis in a tower shape (desktop) and thefollowing parts: motherboard, CPU, RAM, firmware, internal buses (PIC,PCI-E, USB, HyperTransport, CSI, AGP, VLB), external bus controllers(parallel port, serial port, USB, Firewire, SCSI. PS/2, ISA, EISA, MCA),power supply, case control with cooling fan, storage controllers(CD-ROM, DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD Writer, DVD RAM Drive, Blu-ray, BD-ROM, BDWriter, floppy disk, USB Flash, tape drives, SATA, SAS), videocontroller, sound card, network controllers (modem, NIC), andperipherals, including mice, keyboards, pointing devices, gamingdevices, scanner, webcam, audio devices, printers, monitors, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “in electroniccommunication” refers to two or more devices which are able to transmitelectronic signals, data, etc., by a wired connection, wirelessconnection, or a combination of wired and wireless connections.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “display device”refers to a device (e.g., a monitor) which presents visual images from acomputer for viewing. The display device may be incorporated as acomponent of the computer, or may be a separate device which is inelectronic communication with the computer.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “printer menu” refersto a menu displayed by the display device (e.g., a dialog box, drop downmenu, etc.) which provides the user with the ability to make selections,choices, etc., as to the criteria for operating a printer, includingprint image quality criteria, printer colorant reduction criteria,number of copies, collation, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “print image qualitycriteria” refers to any criteria which may be used to determine thequality of the print image.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “acceptable printimage quality” refers to a level of print image quality of the printedimage which is considered acceptable by the user visually and/or by anobjective test of print quality.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “printer colorantreduction criteria” refers to any criteria which may be used todetermine the degree to which the deposition of printer colorant isreduced to control usage thereof.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “reduction in totalusage” refers to a reduction in usage of the printer colorant relativeto the amount of printer colorant normally used to provide an acceptableprint image quality.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “device controller”refers to any combination of hardware and/or software which interactswith and controls the operation of a device such as, for example, aprinter, video adapter, network card, sound card, etc. Devicecontrollers which comprise software may also function as “devicedrivers” (often referred to simply as “drivers”). Drivers simplifyprogramming by acting as an interface between the hardware device andthe applications or operating system using the device. Drivers oftencommunicate with the device through, for example, the computer bus orcommunications subsystem to which the device hardware is connected.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “printer controller”refers to any combination of hardware and/or software which interactswith and controls the operation of a printer. Printer controllers whichcomprise software may also function as “print drivers,” i.e., byconverting image data to be printed to a form which may be used by theprinter to print the image.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “controls deposition”refers to altering, modifying, maintaining, correcting, regulating,managing, varying, etc., the manner in which the printer colorant isdeposited on the printable medium.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “identifying printercolorant deposition characteristics” refers to those characteristicswhich identify how the printer colorant is deposited on the printablemedium, including one or more of dry time, print density, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “data” refers to anyinformation, signal, etc., which quantifies, describes, identifies,etc., an attribute, characteristic, property, etc., of a device,machine, equipment, component, parameter, variable, set of variables,etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the terms “select,”“selecting,” and “selected” refer to picking, choosing, deciding, etc.,a criteria presented by, for example, a printer menu.

For the purpose of the present invention, the terms “determine,”“determining,” and “determined” refer to deciding, verifying,ascertaining, establishing, concluding, resolving, etc., acharacteristic of, for example, a printer, printer colorant, the source(e.g., printer cartridge) containing the printer colorant, printablemedium, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “software” refers toa general term used to describe any form of programmed machine-readablelanguage or instructions (e.g., object code) that, when loaded orotherwise installed, provides operating instructions to a machinecapable of reading those instructions, such as a computer or other typeof computer program reader. The term software may include applicationssuch as word processors which perform productive tasks for users, systemsoftware such as operating systems which interface with hardware toprovide the necessary services for application software, devicecontrollers (e.g., printer controllers such as printer drivers) whichcontrol the operation of devices such as display devices (e.g.,monitors), printers, etc., and middleware which controls andco-ordinates distributed systems. Software may include programs, etc.,that are coded by programming languages like C, C++, Java, etc. Softwareis usually regarded as anything but hardware, meaning the “hard” are theparts that are tangible (able to hold) while the “soft” part is theintangible objects inside the computer. Software is so called todistinguish it from computer hardware, which encompasses the physicalinterconnections and devices required to store and execute (or run) thesoftware. At the lowest level, software may comprise a machine languagespecific to an individual processor. A machine language comprises groupsof binary values signifying processor instructions which change thestate of the computer from its preceding state. Software may be storedor reside on, as well as be loaded or installed from, one or more floppydisks, CD ROM disks, hard disks (internal or external), or any otherform of suitable non-volatile electronic storage medium. Software mayalso be installed by downloading or by any other form of remotetransmission.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “transmission” refersto any type of transmission that may be carried out electronically bywired methods, wireless methods or combinations thereof. Illustrativeelectronic transmissions may be carried out by a variety of remoteelectronic transmission methods, such as by using Local or Wide AreaNetwork (LAN or WAN)-based, Internet-based, or web-based transmissionmethods, cable television or wireless telecommunications networks, othersuitable remote transmission method, etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “printer controllersoftware” refers to software which controls the operation of theprinter, including controlling deposition of the printer colorant on theprintable medium, in response to least: (1) the identifying printercharacteristics (data) determined/received; (2) the identifying printercolorant characteristics (data) determined/received; (3) the identifyingprinter colorant deposition characteristics (data) determined/received;(4) the print image quality criteria selected; and (5) the printercolorant reduction criteria selected. The printer controller softwaremay also function as the print driver for the printer.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “computer hardware”(hereafter referred to as “hardware”) refers to digital circuitry andphysical devices of a computer system, as opposed to software, which maybe stored on a hardware device such as a hard disk. Illustrativeexamples of hardware may include the motherboard, CPU, RAM, firmware,internal buses (PIC, PCI-E, USB, HyperTransport, CSI, AGP, VLB),external bus controllers (parallel port, serial port, USB, Firewire,SCSI. PS/2, ISA, EISA, MCA), the power supply, case control with coolingfan, storage controllers (CD-ROM, DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD Writer, DVD RAMDrive, Blu-ray, BD-ROM, BD Writer, floppy disks, USB Flash, tape drives,SATA, SAS), video controllers, sound cards, network controllers (modem,NIC), and other peripherals, including mice, keyboards, pointingdevices, scanners, audio devices, printers, display devices (e.g.,monitors), etc.

For the purpose of the present invention, the term “user” refers to anindividual (or group of individuals) who are using embodiments of thepresent invention. The term user may also refer to a computer whichinputs instructions to a computer system.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “machine-readablemedium” refers to any medium or media on which may be read, for example,by a computer, or any other device capable of reading programmedmachine-readable language or instructions. Examples of machine-readablemedia may include floppy disks, Zip™ disks, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD,DVD-R, memory sticks, flash memory, hard disks (internal or external),optical disks, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “image” may referone or more pictures, one or more photos, one or more designs, one ormore alphanumeric characters, etc., or any combination thereof, andwhich may be displayed on a display device (e.g., monitor), or which maybe printed on a printable medium.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “projected image”refers to one or more digital images which are displayed on a displaydevice (e.g., monitor).

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “printed image”refers to one or more images printed on a printable medium.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “bitmap” (alsoreferred to as a “pixmap”) refers to the conventional meaning of aspatial mapping of an array of bits (e.g., pixels) that may be used tostore, define, etc., a digital image.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “pixel” refers toconventional meaning of the smallest item of information in a digitalimage.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “Internet” refers toa global system of interconnected computer networks that interchangedata by packet switching using the standardized Internet Protocol Suite(TCP/IP). The Internet may carry various information resources andservices, such as electronic mail, online chat, file transfer and filesharing, online gaming, and the inter-linked hypertext documents andother resources of the World Wide Web (WWW).

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “local area network(LAN)” refers to a network covering a small geographic area, such as ahome, office, building, office site, etc. The defining characteristicsof LANs, in contrast to WANs (wide area networks), include their higherdata transfer rates, smaller geographic range, lack of a need for leasedtelecommunication lines, etc.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “product key” (alsoreferred to as a “CD key”) refers to a security code which may be in theform of a bar code, alphanumeric code, etc., which may be used,required, etc., for installing, downloading, etc., software onto acomputer, machine-readable medium, etc., either locally or remotely, orfor using the software through a Web-based computer application.

For the purposes of the present invention, the term “sensor” refers to acollector and/or producer of information and/or data. A sensor may be adevice or a living organism (e.g., a person). For example, a sensor maybe a chemical or spectrophotometric analyzer (e.g., mass spectrometer,UV or infrared spectrometer, an ion-sensitive electrode etc.), anindividual observing, measuring, etc., a characteristic (e.g., printquality), etc.

DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the system (printer controller), method and printercontroller software of the present invention provide the user of aprinter associated with, for example, a computer, the ability to control(e.g., adjust) the printer operation (e.g., by intercepting a datastream or stream of print instructions to and/or from the computerand/or printer, and to process those same instructions) so that theprinter (such an ink jet printer or laser printer) uses less ink/tonerto print an image than would otherwise occur if the printer operationwere not controlled (e.g., adjusted). This reduced usage of ink/tonermay be achieved by having the printer controller/printer controllersoftware control deposition by the printer of the printer colorant froma source thereof (e.g., a printer cartridge) on a printable medium tothereby reduce printer colorant usage in response to: (1) theidentifying printer characteristics (data) of the printer; (2) theidentifying printer colorant characteristics (data) of the printercolorant; (3) the print image quality criteria selected by the user; (4)the printer colorant reduction criteria selected by the user; and (5)the identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics (data) ofthe printable medium. For example, the printer controller/printercontroller software may respond to specific criteria of: (a) the type ofprinter being used; (b) the type of ink/toner being used; and (c) thetype of printable medium being used, wherein the printable medium (e.g.,paper) has specific print density characteristics, including printdensity characteristics for enhancing print density, such as printercolorant fixer (e.g., an ink/toner fixer) such as a water-solubledivalent metal ion, for example, calcium chloride. Put differently,embodiments of the printer controller/printer controller software mayrecalibrate the ink/toner necessary to achieve acceptable orsatisfactory print densities (and thus print images) by usingcharacteristics (a) through (c) above, and controlling/adjusting theamount of ink/toner usage, also in response to print image qualitycriteria and printer colorant reduction criteria selected by the user;thereby reducing ink usage necessary overall, while also achieving anacceptable or satisfactory print image quality on the printable medium.

In some embodiments, printable mediums having enhanced print densitycharacteristics may be used with the system (printer controller), methodand printer controller software of the present invention to increase thereduction in printer colorant (e.g., ink) usage, but withoutsignificantly affecting print image quality compared to other printablemediums that do not provide such enhanced print density characteristicsand thus cannot achieve such reduction in printer colorant (e.g., ink)usage without significantly affecting print image quality. Printablemediums in the form of paper sheets having enhanced print densitycharacteristics which are useful in embodiments of the present inventionare described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Appln. No. 2007/0087134(Koenig et al.), published Apr. 19, 2007 (hereafter referred to as“Koenig et al.”), the entire disclosure and contents of which is hereinincorporated by reference. These paper sheets of Koenig et al. comprisea size containing-substrate formed from lignocellulosic fibers andhaving on at least one surface thereof a water-soluble divalent metalsalt. In these paper sheets of Koenig et al., the sizing level of thesubstrate, as measured by the HST of the substrate, and the amount ofdivalent metal salts on the surface of the substrate impact the imagedry time of the paper sheet. The enhanced image dry time of these sheetsis determined by the amount of ink transferred from a printed to anunprinted portion of the paper sheet after rolling with a roller offixed weight.

The Hercules Sizing Test Value (“HST”) of the substrate and the amountof divalent salt may be selected such that the paper sheet has a percentink transferred (“IT %”) value equal to or less than about 60%, forexample, an IT % value in the range of from 0 to about 50%, such as from0% to about 40% (e.g., from 0 to about 30%). In addition to improvedimage dry time, these paper sheets may also exhibit good print quality.Print quality (PQ) may be measured by using two parameters: printdensity and edge acuity. Print density is measured using a reflectancedensitometer (X-Rite, Macbeth, etc.) in units of optical density (“OD”).The method involves printing a solid block of color on the sheet, andmeasuring the optical density. There may be some variation in ODdepending on the particular printer used and the print mode chosen, aswell as the densitometer mode and color setting. The printer used hereinis an HP Deskjet 6122, manufactured by Hewlett-Packard, which uses a #45(HP product number 51645A) black ink jet cartridge. The print mode maybe determined by the type of paper and the print quality selected. Forthe data referred to herein, the default setting of Plain Paper type andFast Normal print quality print mode may be selected. The densitometerused is an X-Rite model 528 spectrodensitometer with a 6 mm aperture.The density measurement settings are Visual color, status T, andabsolute density mode. An increase in print density may be seen whensufficient amounts of divalent water-soluble metal salts are on thepaper surface. In general, the target optical density for pigment black(“OD_(O)”) is equal to or greater than 1.30 in the standard (plainpaper, normal) print mode for the HP desktop ink jet printers that usethe most common black pigment ink (equivalent to the #45 ink jetcartridge). For example, the OD_(O) may be equal to or greater thanabout 1.40, such as an OD_(O) equal to or greater than about 1.50.(e.g., an OD_(O) equal to or greater than about 1.60).

The other parameter determining good print quality, edge acuity (“EA”),may be measured by an instrument such as the QEA Personal Image AnalysisSystem (Quality Engineering Associates, Burlington, Mass.), the QEAScannerIAS, or the ImageXpert KDY camera-based system. All of theseinstruments collect a magnified digital image of the sample andcalculate an edge acuity value by image analysis. This value may also becalled edge raggedness, and is defined in ISO method 13660. This methodinvolves printing a solid line 1.27 millimeters or more in length,sampling at a resolution of at least 600 dpi. The instrument calculatesthe location of the edge based on the darkness of each pixel near theline edges. The edge threshold is defined as the point of 60% transitionfrom the substrate reflectance factor (light area, R_(max)) to the imagereflectance factor (dark area, R_(max)) using the equationR₆₀=R_(max)−60% (R_(max)−R_(min)). The edge raggedness may then bedefined as the standard deviation of the residuals from a line fitted tothe edge threshold of the line, calculated perpendicular to the fittedline. The value of edge acuity may be less than about 15, for example,an EA is less than about 12, such as less than about 10 (e.g., an EA isless than about 8).

The Hercules Sizing Test (“HST”) value of the substrate for these papersheets may be selected to provide the desired dry time characteristics.The HST of the substrate may be adjusted by the addition of a sizingagent to the printable medium. The desired HST may be obtained byinternally sizing the substrate; that is, by adding sizing agents to thepulp suspension before it is converted to a paper web or substrate.Internal sizing helps prevent the surface size from soaking into thepaper sheet, thus allowing it to remain on the surface where it hasmaximum effectiveness. The internal sizing agents for use herein mayencompass any of those commonly used at the wet end of a paper machine.These internal sizing agents may include rosin sizes, ketene dimers andmultimers, alkenylsuccinic anhydrides, etc.

The internal sizing may be used at levels of from 0 to about 1.0 wt. %(based on the weight of the dry paper sheet). For example, the internalsize may be used at levels in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.5 wt.%, such as at levels of from about 0.025 to about 0.25 wt. %. Methodsand materials which may be utilized for internal sizing with rosin arediscussed, for example, by E. Strazdins in The Sizing of Paper, SecondEdition, edited by W. F. Reynolds, TAPPI Press, 1989, pages 1-33, theentire disclosure and contents of which is herein incorporated byreference. Suitable ketene dimers for internal sizing are disclosed in,for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,794 (Dumas), issued Jul. 21, 1981, inUnited Kingdom Patent Nos. 786,543; 903,416; 1,373,788 and 1,533,434,and in European Patent Application Publication No. 0666368 A3, theentire disclosure and contents of which are herein incorporated byreference. Suitable ketene dimers are also commercially available, suchas Aquapel® and Precis® sizing agents from Hercules Incorporated,Wilmington, Del. Ketene multimers for use in internal sizes aredescribed in, for example, European Patent Application Publication No.0629741A1, corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/254,813,filed Jun. 6, 1994; European Patent Application Publication No.0666368A3, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,815 (Bottorff et al.),issued Nov. 11, 1997; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,863, issued Dec. 8, 1998,the entire disclosure and contents of which are herein incorporated byreference. Alkenyl succinic anhydrides for internal sizing are disclosedin, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,900 (Mazzarella et al.), issuedAug. 9, 1977, and by C. E. Farley and R. B. Wasser in The Sizing ofPaper, Second Edition, edited by W. F. Reynolds, TAPPI Press, 1989,pages 51-62, the entire disclosure and contents of which are hereinincorporated by reference. A variety of suitable alkenylsuccinicanhydrides are also commercially available from, for example, AlbemarleCorporation, Baton Rouge, La.

The substrates having an enhanced image dry time may contain an“effective amount” of the divalent water-soluble metal salt which may bein contact with at least one surface of the substrate. As used herein,an “effective amount” with reference to the divalent water-soluble metsalt refers to an amount which is sufficient to enhance the dry time ofthe substrate to any extent. This total amount of divalent water-solublemetal salt in or on the substrate may vary widely, provided that thedesired enhancement of the dry time is achieved. This amount may be atleast and 0.02 g/m² although lower or higher amounts may be used. Forexample, the amount of divalent water-soluble metal salt may be in therange of from about 0.1 to about 3 g/m² (e.g., from about 0.2 to about2.0 g/m²). In some embodiments of choice, the amount of divalentwater-soluble metal salt may be in the range of from about 0.4 to about1.5 g/m².

In some embodiments of the paper sheets having enhanced dry times, amixture comprising calcium chloride and one or more starches may be incontact with at least one surface of the substrate. Illustrative of suchstarches are naturally occurring carbohydrates synthesized in corn,tapioca, potato and other plants by polymerization of dextrose units,etc. All such starches and modified forms thereof such as starchacetates, starch esters, starch ethers, starch phosphates, starchxanthates, anionic starches, cationic starches, oxidized starches, etc.,may be derived by reacting the starch with a suitable chemical orenzymatic reagent. Useful starches may be prepared by known techniquesor may be obtained from commercial sources. For example, the suitablestarches may include Ethylex 2035 from A. E. Staley, PG-280 from PenfordProducts, oxidized corn starches from ADM, Cargill, and Raisio, andenzyme converted starches such as Amyzet 150 from Amylum. The modifiedstarches may include cationic modified chemically modified starches suchas ethylated starches, oxidized starches, and AP and enzyme convertedPearl starches.

When calcium chloride (as the divalent water-soluble metal salt) andEthylex 2035 starch (as the internal sizing) are used, the desired drytime of the paper sheet may be obtained when the weight ratio of thecalcium chloride to the starch is equal to or greater than from about5%, up to about 200%. In these embodiments, the weight ratio of thecalcium chloride to the starch may be in the range of from about 5 toabout 100%, for example, from about 7% to about 70%, such as from about10% to about 40%. In these embodiments of the paper sheet havingenhanced dry times, the amount of the mixture of divalent water-solublemetal salt and one or more starches on the surface of a substrate may beat least about 0.02 g/m² of printable medium, although higher and loweramounts may be used. The amount of this mixture may be at least about0.05 g/m², for example, at least about 1.0 g/m², such as in the range offrom about 1.0 to about 4.0 g/m².

Embodiments the method of the present invention are further illustratedin FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram which shows anillustrative system according to an embodiment of the present invention,which is generally indicated as 100. As shown in FIG. 1, system 100 maycomprise a computer 104, a printer 108, and a display device (e.g.,monitor) 112. As indicated by double-headed arrow 116, computer 104 and108 are in electronic communication with each other. As indicated bydouble-headed arrow 120, computer 104 and display 112 are in electroniccommunication with each other. Printer 108 has associated therewith(e.g., loaded thereon) a printer cartridge 124 which contains printercolorant (e.g., ink or toner). Computer 104 has associated therewith(e.g., loaded thereon) printer controller software 128. Display 112provides for viewing a printer menu (e.g., dialog box) 132. As indicatedby arrow 136, printer menu 132 provides for the selection of the desiredprinter image quality (referred to in FIG. 1 as Print Quality 140). Asindicated by arrow 144, printer menu 132 also provides for the selectionof the desired reduction in printer colorant usage (referred to in FIG.1 as Reduce Ink 148).

The identifying printer characteristics data of printer 108 may bereceived by computer 104 from printer 108 in the form of signalsindicating the printer type, printer model, printer maker, printingcharacteristics, etc. These identifying printer characteristics data ofprinter 108 may be obtained by printer controller software 128 directlyfrom printer 108, and thus used to provide operating instructions tocomputer 104 and printer 108 to control the deposition of printercolorant from printer cartridge 124. The identifying printer colorantcharacteristics data of the printer colorant may be obtained by printercontroller software 128 directly from printer cartridge 124, and thusalso used to provide operating instructions to computer 104 and printer108 to control the deposition of printer colorant from printer cartridge124

Printer controller software 128 may be installed or preloaded ontocomputer 104 in a variety of ways. For example, printer controllersoftware 128 may be provided on a machine-readable medium which isprovided separately from computer 104 or printer 108, may be providedwith computer 104, may be provided with printer 108, may be providedwith the printable medium (e.g., e.g., provided with one or more reamsof paper) to be used with printer 108, etc. Alternatively, the printercontroller software 128 may be remotely downloaded to computer 108 (or amachine-readable medium) from, for example, a web site, server, etc.,via the Internet, via a LAN (or WAN), or via any other way for remotelydownloading software. For example, a product key may be provided withprinter 108, or with the printable medium (e.g., printed on thepackaging for the ream(s) of paper) to be used with printer 108, forremotely downloading printer controller software 128 to computer 108 (ora machine-readable medium).

FIG. 2 is a flowchart which shows an illustrative method according to anembodiment of the present invention, which is indicated generally as200. In method 200, the relevant printable medium, printer, and printercolorant characteristics may be determined and are collectively referredto in FIG. 2 as the Item Inputs in step 202. In determining the ItemInputs in step 202, and as indicated by arrow 204, the identifyingprinter colorant deposition characteristics of the printable medium(referred to in FIG. 2 as the Paper Print Characteristics in step 206)may be determined. In one embodiment, the identifying printer colorantdeposition characteristics of the printable medium in step 206 may bedetermined by knowing what the printable medium being used. For example,the printable medium bar code from the packaging may be scanned intosystem 100, or the alphanumeric code from the packaging may be enteredmanually (or pre-loaded) into system 100. In another embodiment, thechemical properties (e.g., the amount of metal salt drying agent such ascalcium chloride) of the printable medium may be analyzed by system 100to determine the identifying printer colorant deposition characteristicsof the printable medium/

As indicated by arrow 206, the identifying printer characteristics(referred to in FIG. 2 as the Printer Type in step 210) of the printermay also be determined (e.g. from printer 108 of FIG. 1). In oneembodiment, printer characteristics in step 210 may be determined byknowing what the printer model is. For example, the printer model may beautomatically verified by system 100 (e.g., by the computer 104 and/orprinter controller software 128) or may be manually entered into system100. As indicated by arrow 212, the identifying printer colorantcharacteristics (referred to in FIG. 2 as the Colorant Type in step 214)may also be determined (e.g., from printer cartridge 124 of FIG. 1). Inone embodiment, the printer colorant characteristics in step 210 may bedetermined by knowing the type or number of the printer cartridge beingused. For example, the printer colorant characteristics may beautomatically verified by system 100 (e.g., by transmissions 116 sent byprinter cartridge 124 to computer 104 and/or printer controller software128) or may be manually entered (or pre-loaded) into system 100. Asindicated by arrows 216, 218, and 220, the resulting determinedcharacteristics from steps 206, 210 and 214 are collectively referred toin FIG. 2 as the Paper-Printer-Colorant Characteristics in step 222.

As also shown in FIG. 2, in method 200, the relevant print image qualitycriteria and printer colorant reduction criteria may be selected (e.g.,from printer menu 132 provided by display 112 of FIG. 1) and arecollectively referred to in FIG. 2 as the User Inputs in step 224. Inselecting the User Inputs in step 224, and as indicated by arrow 226,the print image quality criteria (referred to in FIG. 2 as the PrintQuality Criteria in step 228) may be selected by the user. The printimage quality criteria in step 228 may be provided as one or more presetchoices, may be provided, for example, as one or more slider bars,fill-in boxes, etc., to enable the user to adjust the selection of printimage quality as a customized choice, etc. As indicated by arrow 230,the printer colorant reduction criteria (referred to in FIG. 2 as theColorant Reduction Criteria in step 232) may also be selected by theuser. In some embodiments, the print image quality criteria in step 228may be selected by the user to be the same for all colors, differentlydepending upon the color printing involved (e.g., black and whiteprinting versus color printing), etc. Like the print image qualitycriteria in step 228, the printer colorant reduction criteria in step232 be provided as one or more preset choices, may be provided, forexample, as one or more slider bars, fill-in boxes, etc., to enable theuser to adjust the selection of the printer colorant (e.g., ink) usagereduction as a customized choice, etc. In some embodiments, the printercolorant reduction criteria in step 232 may be selected by the user tobe the same for all colors, to be different depending upon the colorprinting involved (e.g., black and white printing versus colorprinting), to be different depending upon which color is being printed(e.g., usage reduction of black is different from usage reduction forother colors printed, usage reduction of each color is different, usagereduction is the same for two or more colors but different for othercolors, etc.), etc. As indicated by arrows 234 and 236, the resultingcriteria selected in steps 228 and 232 are collectively referred to inFIG. 2 as the Quality-Reduce Colorant Criteria in step 238.

As indicated by respective arrows 240 and 242 in FIG. 2, thePaper-Printer-Colorant Characteristics from step 222 and theQuality-Reduce Colorant Criteria from step 238 are transmitted tocomputer 104 of FIG. 1. In response to these transmissions 240 and 242,the printer controller software 128 may control (e.g., adjust) thedeposition by printer 108 of printer colorant from printer cartridge 124onto the printable medium, referred to in FIG. 2 as the Control PrinterDeposition in step 244. In one embodiment of method 200, after theControl Printer Deposition in step 244, a request may be made by theuser, as indicated by arrow 246, to provide for a preview of theprojected print image (e.g., on display 112) which is referred to inFIG. 2 as the Print Preview in step 248. If after the Print Preview instep 248, it is determined by the user that the projected print image issatisfactory, an instruction, as indicated by arrow 250 may betransmitted to computer 104 (and thereafter to printer 108) to print theimage (referred to in FIG. 2 as Print Image in step 252). Alternatively,in method 200, the Print Preview in step 248 may be skipped, and theuser may transmit an instruction, indicated by arrow 254, to carry outthe Print Image in step 252.

System 100, as well as method 200, enable the user to achieve reductionsin total usage of the printer colorant (e.g., ink and/or toner) by or toany desired level or amount, while also achieving acceptable print imagequality. For example, system 100, as well as method 200, may enable theuser to achieve reductions in total usage of the printer colorant of upto about 50%, for example, from about 10 to about 25%. In oneembodiment, once the user has selected the Quality-Reduce ColorantCriteria in step 238, pigment colorant usage reduction according to step244 (Control Printer Deposition) may be implemented by, for example, themethod (e.g., HLS model) described with particular reference toparagraphs [0068] through 0094] of U.S. Pat. Appln. No. 2005/0063749(Harris et al.), published Mar. 24, 2005, the entire disclosure andcontents of which is herein incorporated by reference. This methodoperates generally by reducing the number of printed dots (e.g., whencarrying out ink jet printing) within a given space (e.g., a rectangle),and is repeated over the print area of the projected image. Theparticular pattern of printed dot reduction is determined by previewing,for example, the bitmap of pixels of the projected image, and from thatbitmap, then determining the pattern printed dots to be reduced withineach give space which does not perceptibly alter the print image. In oneembodiment of this method, the printer colorant usage reduction may beseparated and controlled (e.g., adjusted) differently by identifying,from the bitmap of the projected image the black color pixels versus thepixels having colors other than black (e.g., white, cyan, magenta,yellow, etc.), After the black pixels versus pixels having colors otherthan black is identified, printer controller software 128 may then applyseparate and different usage reduction levels/amounts in printing dotsinvolving black pixels, versus printing dotes for pixels having colorsother than black.

Dry Time Test Methodology

The dry time for a fast dry coated ink jet paper is measured as follows:The ink dry time is measured by the amount of ink transferred from aprinted to an unprinted sheet after rolling with a roller of fixedweight. The test method involves printing solid blocks on test papersample, waiting for 3 seconds of printing, cover the printed blocks withunprinted paper, and rolling with a 4.5 lb hand roller. The hand rollerused in the test was obtained from Chem Instruments, Inc., Mentor, Ohio.The “ink transfer” is defined as the amount of optical densitytransferred to the unprinted sheet after rolling with a roller. Theoptical density is read on the transferred (OD_(t)), the non transferred(OD₀), and an un-imaged area (OD_(b)) by a reflectance densitometer fromX-Rite. The percentage of ink transferred (IT %) is defined as IT%=[(OD_(t)−OD_(b))/(OD₀−OD_(b))]*100. The lower the percentage of inktransferred, the better the ink dry time.

Show-Through Test Methodology

1.0 Equipment—Densitometer (X-rite 518)

2.0 Procedure

Print a black box that is 150 mm by 450 mm using the HP Deskjet 6122printer. Prints are made using the plain paper mode and varying theprint quality settings (draft, fast normal, normal, best). Using thedensitometer, measure density of the printed area, back of print, blankarea, and covered print. Measure 3 times per area per sheet.

EXAMPLE

FIGS. 3 through 5 are screen captures illustrating a printer menu dialogbox, and associated tabs, for an ink jet printer according to oneembodiment of the printer controller software of the present invention.Referring to FIG. 3, the dialog box, indicated generally as 300, maydisplay a number of items of information. For example, as shown in FIG.3, dialog box 300 displays in box 304 the current printer selected, inbox 308 the current ink savings (reduction level/amount) provided,including the specific savings for black ink, color ink, total savingsper month/year, as indicated by boxes 308-1, 308-2, and 308-3,respectively. As also shown in FIG. 3, dialog box 300 various options toselect, such as the ability to select tabs 316, an adjustable slider bar320 for changing the black ink and/or color ink savings, the ability toadd icons to the taskbar, indicated as by 324, the ability to enable (ordisable) the ink savings, as indicated by 328, the ability to print asample page, as indicated by 332, a “Help?” button 336, and buttonsindicated, respectively, as 340-1, 340-2, and 340-3 to save, cancel, orapply the particular changes to the settings selected.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a current ink setting tab for dialogbox 300, indicated generally as 400. As shown in FIG. 4, tab 400 isprovided with an ink saving slider bar 404 which provides for adjustingthe ink reduction levels/amount by the printer according to, forexample, a graduated scale which shows four settings identified as 0%(No) Savings, 25% Savings, 50% Savings and 75% (Max). As shown in thebox indicated as 408, the current ink savings is set by slider bar 404at 25%. Slider bar 404 may be manually adjusted to provide the desiredlevel of ink savings or may be automatically adjusted in response to theparticular printer and/or printer cartridge being used. The particularblack ink savings, color ink savings, and total ink savings per year isindicated, respectively, by 412-1, 412-2, and 412-3. Tab 400 also showsthat the printer settings has been checked to enable such ink savings,as indicated by 416.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of an ink savings estimator tab fordialog box 300, indicated generally as 500. As shown in FIG. 5, tab 500is provided with two boxes, indicated as 504-1 and 504-2, to enterinformation, respectively, on the average cost per cartridge for blackink, and color inks. Also provide are with two boxes, indicated as 508-1and 508-2, enter, respectively, the estimated number of black and colorcartridges that may be used per year. Based on the information enteredinto boxes 504-1, 504-2, 508-1, and 508-2, and along with the currentink settings set in tab 400, as indicated by 512-1 and 512-2, tab 500may provide estimates on the total cost per year for the black ink andcolor cartridges, as indicated, respectively by 510-1 and 510-2. Tab 504may also provide information on the estimated savings per cartridge, asindicated by 516-1 and 516-2, total savings per year for each of theblack ink and color ink, as indicated, respectively, by 520-1 and 520-2,as well as the total savings provided per year, as indicated by 524.

It should be appreciated that the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1through 5 are provided to illustrate the teachings of the presentinvention. Alterations or modification within the skill of the art ofthe embodiments in FIGS. 1 through 5 are considered within the scope ofthe present invention, so long as these alterations or modificationsoperate in a same or similar manner, function, etc.

All documents, patents, journal articles and other materials cited inthe present application are hereby incorporated by reference.

Although the present invention has been fully described in conjunctionwith several embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, it is to be understood that various changes and modificationsmay be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes andmodifications are to be understood as included within the scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims, unless they departtherefrom.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a system comprising a printer havingidentifying printer characteristics data, a source of printer colorantassociated with the printer and having identifying printer colorantcharacteristics data, a computer in electronic communication with theprinter and which receives the identifying printer characteristics dataand the identifying printer colorant characteristics data, a displaydevice in electronic communication with the computer which displays aprinter menu which comprises at least: (a) print image quality criteriato be selected; and (b) printer colorant reduction criteria to beselected, a printer controller associated with the computer, wherein theprinter controller controls deposition by the printer of the printercolorant from the printer colorant source on a printable medium havingidentifying printer colorant deposition characteristics data to therebyreduce printer colorant usage in response to: (1) the identifyingprinter characteristics data received by the computer; (2) theidentifying printer colorant characteristics data received by thecomputer; (3) the print image quality criteria selected; (4) the printercolorant reduction criteria selected; and (5) the identifying printercolorant deposition characteristics data of the printable medium.
 2. Theprinter controller of claim 1, which comprises software.
 3. The printercontroller of claim 1, which also functions as a print driver for theprinter.
 4. The printer controller of claim 1, wherein the deposition bythe printer of the printer colorant is controlled by adjusting thedeposition in response to the identifying printer characteristics data(1) and the identifying printer colorant characteristics data (2)received by the computer, the print image quality criteria (3) and theprinter colorant reduction criteria (4) selected, and the identifyingprinter colorant deposition characteristics data of the printable medium(5).
 5. The printer controller of claim 1, wherein the identifyingprinter colorant deposition characteristics data of the printable medium(5) comprises one or more of dry time and print density.
 6. The printercontroller of claim 5, wherein the printable medium comprises a paperweb and wherein the identifying printer colorant depositioncharacteristics data of the printable medium (5) comprises a dry timedefined by the paper web having a percent ink transferred value equal toor less than about 60%.
 7. The printer controller of claim 6, whereinthe dry time is defined by the paper web having a percent inktransferred value of from 0 to about 30%.
 8. The printer controller ofclaim 1, wherein the identifying printer characteristics data (1)comprises one or more of printer type, printer model, printer maker, andprinting characteristics.
 9. The printer controller of claim 1, whereinthe identifying printer characteristics data (1) is obtained directlyfrom the printer.
 10. The printer controller of claim 1, wherein theidentifying printer colorant characteristics data (2) comprises one ormore of the color and the consistency of the printer colorant.
 11. Theprinter controller of claim 1, wherein the printer colorant sourcecomprises a printer cartridge and wherein the identifying printercolorant characteristics data (2) is obtained directly from the printercartridge.
 12. The print controller of claim 11, wherein the printercartridge is an ink jet printer cartridge and wherein the printer is anink jet printer.
 13. The printer controller of claim 11, wherein theprinter cartridge is a toner cartridge and wherein the printer is alaser printer.
 14. The printer controller of claim 1, wherein theprinter menu provides for selecting one or both of the print imagequality criteria (3) and the printer colorant reduction criteria (4)from preset choices.
 15. The printer controller of claim 1, wherein theprinter menu provides for selecting one or both of the print imagequality criteria (3) and the printer colorant reduction criteria (4) byusing one or more slider bars.
 16. The printer controller of claim 1,wherein the printer menu provides for selecting the printer colorantreduction criteria (4) such that different printer colorant reductionlevels may be selected for each color.
 17. The printer controller ofclaim 1, wherein the printer menu provides for selecting the printercolorant reduction criteria (4) such that printer colorant reductionlevels may be selected for black which are different from colors otherthan black.
 18. A method for use with a system which comprises aprinter, a source of printer colorant associated with the printer, acomputer in electronic communication with the printer, and a displaydevice in electronic communication with the computer which displays aprinter menu which comprises at least: (a) print image quality criteriato be selected; and (b) printer colorant reduction criteria to beselected, the method comprising the following steps: (1) selecting printimage quality criteria and printer colorant reduction criteria from theprinter menu; (2) determining the identifying printer characteristics ofthe printer, the identifying printer colorant characteristics, and theidentifying printer colorant deposition characteristics of a printablemedium on which the printer colorant is to be deposited; and (3)controlling deposition by the printer of the printer colorant from theprinter cartridge on the printable medium to thereby reduce printercolorant usage in response to: (a) the printer image quality and printercolorant reduction criteria selected; and (b) the identifying printercharacteristics, the identifying printer colorant characteristics, andthe identifying printer colorant deposition characteristics of theprintable medium determined.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein thedeposition by the printer of the printer colorant is controlled duringstep (3) by adjusting deposition of the printer colorant in response tothe criteria (a) selected and the identifying characteristics (b)determined.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying printercolorant deposition characteristics are determined during step (2) fromone or more of dry time and print density.
 21. The method of claim 20,wherein the printable medium comprises a paper web and wherein theidentifying printer colorant deposition characteristics of the paper webis defined by a dry time, wherein the paper web has a dry time definedby having a percent ink transferred value equal to or less than about60%.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the dry time is defined by thepaper web having a percent ink transferred value of from 0 to about 30%.23. The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying printer colorantdeposition characteristics of the printable medium are determined duringstep (2) by analyzing chemical properties of the printable medium. 24.The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying printer colorantdeposition characteristics of the printable medium are determined duringstep (2) by scanning a bar code from packaging for the printable mediuminto the system or by entering an alphanumeric code from packaging forthe printable medium into the system.
 25. The method of claim 18,wherein the identifying printer colorant characteristics of theprintable medium are determined during step (2) from one or more of thecolor and the consistency of the printer colorant.
 26. The method ofclaim 18, wherein the printer colorant source comprises a printercartridge and wherein the identifying printer colorant characteristicsof the printable medium are determined during step (2) directly from theprinter cartridge.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the identifyingprinter colorant characteristics of the printable medium are determinedduring step (2) by the system verifying automatically what the printercartridge is.
 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the printer cartridgeis an ink jet printer cartridge and wherein the printer is an ink jetprinter.
 29. The method of claim 26, wherein the printer cartridge is atoner printer cartridge and wherein the printer is a laser printer. 30.The method of claim 18, wherein the identifying printer characteristicsof the printable medium are determined during step (2) by the systemverifying automatically what model the printer is.
 31. The method ofclaim 18, wherein the printer menu provides for selecting one or both ofthe criteria (a) during step (2) from preset choices.
 32. The method ofclaim 18, wherein the printer menu provides for selecting one or both ofthe criteria (a) during step (2) by using one or more slider bars. 33.The method of claim 18, which comprises the following step (4) of:providing for review of a projected print image prior to depositing theprinter colorant on the printable medium to thereby print an image. 34.The method of claim 18, which step (3) is carried out without providingfor review of a projected print image prior to depositing the printercolorant on the printable medium to thereby print an image.
 35. Themethod of claim 18, wherein the printer colorant reduction criteria maybe selected during step (3) such that different printer colorantreduction levels may be selected for each color.
 36. The printercontroller of claim 18, wherein the printer colorant reduction criteriamay be selected during step (3) such that printer colorant reductionlevels for black are different from colors other than black.
 37. Aproduct comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium havingassociated therewith printer controller software which is loadable on acomputer for controlling a printer having identifying printercharacteristics data and which is associated with a source of printercolorant and having identifying printer colorant characteristics data,the computer also being in electronic communication with a displaydevice which displays a printer menu which comprises at least: (a) printimage quality criteria to be selected; and (b) printer colorantreduction criteria to be selected, wherein the printer controllersoftware controls deposition by the printer of the printer colorant fromthe printer colorant source on a printable medium having identifyingprinter colorant deposition characteristics data to thereby reduceprinter colorant usage in response to: (1) the identifying printercharacteristics data; (2) the identifying printer colorantcharacteristics data; (3) the print image quality criteria selected; (4)the printer colorant reduction criteria selected; and (5) theidentifying printer colorant deposition characteristics data of theprintable medium.
 38. The product of claim 37, wherein the printercontroller software also functions as a print driver for the printer.39. The product of claim 37, wherein the printer controller softwarecontrols deposition by the printer of the printer colorant by adjustingthe deposition in response to the identifying printer characteristicsdata (1) and the identifying printer colorant characteristics data (2)received by the computer, the print image quality criteria (3) and theprinter colorant reduction criteria (4) selected, and the identifyingprinter colorant deposition characteristics data of the printable medium(5).
 40. The product of claim 37, wherein the printer controllersoftware responds to identifying printer colorant depositioncharacteristics data of the printable medium (5) comprising one or moreof dry time and print density.
 41. The product of claim 37, wherein theprinter controller software responds to the identifying printercharacteristics data (1) comprising one or more of printer type, printermodel, printer maker, and printing characteristics.
 42. The product ofclaim 37, wherein the printer controller software responds to theidentifying printer characteristics data (1) is obtained directly fromthe printer.
 43. The product of claim 37, wherein the printer controllersoftware responds to the identifying printer colorant characteristicsdata (2) comprising one or more of the color and the consistency of theprinter colorant.
 44. The product of claim 37, wherein the printercolorant source comprises a printer cartridge and wherein the printercontroller software responds to the identifying printer colorantcharacteristics data (2) obtained directly from the printer cartridge.45. The product of claim 37, wherein the printer controller softwareresponds to one or both of the print image quality criteria (3) and theprinter colorant reduction criteria (4) being selected from a printermenu providing preset choices.
 46. The product of claim 37, wherein theprinter controller software responds to one or both of the print imagequality criteria (3) and the printer colorant reduction criteria (4)being selected from a printer menu by using one or more slider bars. 47.The product of claim 37, wherein the printer controller softwareprovides for the printer menu to select the printer colorant reductioncriteria (4) such that different printer colorant reduction levels maybe selected for each color.
 48. The printer controller of claim 37,wherein the printer controller software provides for the printer menu toselect the printer colorant reduction criteria (4) such that printercolorant reduction levels may be selected for black which are differentfrom colors other than black.
 49. The product of claim 37, wherein theprinter controller software is preloaded onto a computer.
 50. Theproduct of claim 37, wherein the printer controller software is providedon a machine-readable medium.
 51. The product of claim 37, wherein theprinter controller software is provided with one or both of a computerand a printer with which the printer controller software is to be used.52. The product of claim 37, wherein the printer controller software isprovided with the printable medium.
 53. The product of claim 52, whereinthe printable medium comprises one or more reams of paper and whereinthe printer controller software is provided with the one or more reamsof paper.
 54. The product of claim 52, wherein the printer controllersoftware is provided by remotely downloading the printer controllersoftware.
 55. The product of claim 52, wherein the printer controllersoftware is remotely downloaded by using a product key.
 56. The productof claim 55, wherein the product key for the printer controller softwareis provided with one or more of a computer, a printer, a printablemedium, or packaging for the printable medium.
 57. The product of claim54, wherein the printer controller software is remotely downloaded ontoa computer.
 58. The product of claim 54, wherein the printer controllersoftware is remotely downloaded onto a machine-readable medium.
 59. Aproduct comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium havingassociated therewith printer controller software which is loadable on acomputer for controlling a printer having identifying printercharacteristics data and which is associated with a source of printercolorant and having identifying printer colorant characteristics data,the computer also being in electronic communication with a displaydevice which displays a printer menu which comprises at least: (a) printimage quality criteria to be selected; and (b) printer colorantreduction criteria to be selected, wherein the printer controllersoftware controls deposition by the printer of the printer colorant fromthe printer colorant source on a printable medium having identifyingprinter colorant deposition characteristics data to therebyautomatically reduce printer colorant usage in response to: (1) theidentifying printer characteristics data received by the computer; (2)the identifying printer colorant characteristics data received by thecomputer; (3) the print image quality criteria selected; (4) the printercolorant reduction criteria selected; (5) the identifying printercolorant deposition characteristics data of the printable medium; and(6) previewing a bitmap of pixels of a projected image and determining apattern of printed dots to be reduced within each space which does notperceptibly alter a print image.